bu now flying solo: epiphany or epitath

FLYING SOLO: Epitath or Epiphany BU NOW : of NEW Student Website

COLLEGE MEDIA CONFERENCE National Convention: NYC, SPRING 2010

DR. RICHARD GANAHL Bloomsburg University, PA

TRULY UNIQUE: An Indie Campus News Blog

* Anyone Posts * Multi-Platform * Comments * Calendar * Student Ed’s * Coop w/ Media * Polls * Videos * Podcasts * Slideshows

2BUNOW:EpitathorEpiphany?

‘.…anyone, anything, anyhow, anytime….’

BU NOW: MISSION

* Student Organization

* Indie Blog & Website

* Co-op & Con-verge

* Student Moderated

* Multiple Platforms

* Pics, Audio, Video

EXTREME COMPETITION

*Town Student Website

* BU Comm Office: 10 stds

* Campus Weekly: 17 stds

* Campus Radio: 16 stds

* Department Mag: 20 stds

* Department TV: 20 stds


BU NOW: Happy Second Birthday To You!

BU NOW: TRAFFIC

* 70,229 visitors / 22 mo

* visits from 123 countries

* 157,795 page views

* 43,474 unique visitors

* over 16,267 video views

* top 5 stories = 31,615 hits

BU NOW: STAFF

* 520 registered users

* 160 story contributors

* two faculty advisors

* multiple departments

* 637 posts, 499 comments

* Facebook & Twitter


Multi Media, Multi Platform Excellence

HOMECOMING 2009

* 9 stories w/ 13,371 hits

* combined 3 media efforts

* 3 videos, 2 op-eds & pics

* broke 23 pg Final Report

* Homecoming Forum Tags

* Homecoming Dance Tags

BLOCK PARTY 2009

* 10 stories w/ 10,811 hits

* combined 4 media efforts

* 4 vids, gonzo-j, op-ed, pic

* Forum: Mayor, C of P, BU

* extensive use of link-j

* Block Party Story Tags


BU NOW FUTURE: Epitath or Epiphany?

E-INTERVIEWS ITEMS

1. What is convergence?

2. Initial BN expectations?

3. Did media help/hinder?

4. What has help/hinder?

5. In 5 years BN will…?

SAMPLE SELECTION

1. Students Media Leaders

2. Faculty/Staff Media Adv

3. Open end email Feb 2010

4. Sample size = 23 of 26

5. Names & depts deleted


BU NOW FUTURE: E-Survey Findings

WHAT = CONVERGENCE

1. media working together

2. quality multimedia J

3. collaborative confed’tion

4. multiple media exper’nce

5. hubbed media integr’tion

INITIAL EXPECTATIONS

1. had NO idea what it was

2. risky and take long time

3. concerned @ competition

4. good things = to happen

5. didn’t expect such growth


BU NOW FUTURE: Media Influences

MEDIA = HELP

1. we worked through it

2. cross platform portfolio

3. compliment not rival

4. BN = partnered & coop’d

5. BN = provided paper tab

MEDIA = HINDRANCE

1. tension and conflict

2. very possessive of staff

3. good vibes gone sour

4. fearful, power struggle

5. territorial & defensive


BU NOW FUTURE: Factor Influences

FACTORS = HELPED

1. dedicated staff, advisors

2. tech & server support

3. $$ for media conference

4. range of student interest

5. BN’s innovative spirit

FACTORS = HINDRANCE

1. no department support

2. territorial, feuding faculty

3. technological ignorance

4. lack of university respect

5. small # of talented folks


BU NOW FUTURE: In Five Years BN Will

SUGGESTIONS

1. BN NEEDS office space

2. merge paper & BU Now

3. develop ad revenue

4. break media walls down

5. open faculty minds

IN 5 YEARS BN WILL

1. our future = unimaginable

2. take on investigative J!

3. more media convergence

4. every students’ homepage

5. multi-billion dollar site!


‘.…anyone, anything, anyhow, anytime….’

* BU Now video * James’ Reviews

* BN Slideshow * VOICE Stories

* Election 2008


bu now flying solo: epiphany or epitath

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